When an end-user seeks network services or resources, such as teleconferencing, voicemail and database services, from a network operator, the network operator creates a bespoke solution by approaching individual vendors and obtaining the required services from different vendors to create a multi-vendor solution. The network operator cannot obtain the services from a single source.
That is, the network resources are held in closed environments which are proprietary implementations, so that the network resources are not available, or even visible, to other users.
Moreover, the same network resources are replicated to provide services to different users, for example in different time zones, even although a network resource in one time zone may be idle while a corresponding network resource in another time zone is in use, and vice versa.
It is desirable to maximise use of network resources and bandwidth, to make different services available from a single source and, in particular, to avoid unnecessary multiplication of network resources.